Dirk Lejeune

An exhibition of decorative woodwork

10 January - 16 February, 2015

The Gallery will stage an exhibition from January 17 of the work of Belgian born woodworker/artist Dirk Lejeune. Dirks works (dirkswirks) are a fascinating exploration of shape, and a play on repetition using multiple segments of natural materials, particularly wood in a multitude of forms. Here’s what Dirk has to say about his work and his raison d'être.

“During a run in the bush early in 2008, I came a across a gum that had shed bark draped along its trunk. Ever since arriving in Australia from Belgium in 1996, I was mesmerised by this arboreal habit. Somehow I got the idea of cutting the bark into small pieces and then glue them onto board. See what happens.

Well what happened is that I never stopped since. Bark, sticks, solid timber, branches cut into little discs…ideas kept coming. Some worked out, some less so. At first most of my works were two-dimensional reliefs that could be hung up on walls. Lately I have been making a lot more sculptures.

The natural beauty of this continent never stops amazing me and is an endless source of inspiration. I feel that my work is a form of rediscovering, representing this inherent splendour. In the process I got initiated in the Aussie mystery of ‘the shed’.

I am Belgian, permanently resident here in Australia since 1996, married to Lisa and we are parents of five children. I practice acupuncture, remedial massage and developmental therapy for children with learning difficulties, in Woden, ACT.“